Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Club: result, goals, summary

Thanks for your time tonight as Barcelona see off Athletic in this trio of games between both sides in January. 

Accomplished performance from Barcelona and a deserved win for Koeman's side who move into second place in LaLiga. 

The whistle sounds and Barcelona hold out for a 2-1 win. 

Last throw of the dice for Athletic as they look to forge a final chance as Barcelona break and Alba shoots but Simon saves.

We'll have four minutes of time added on

Into the final minute now and Barcelona just trying to manage the game and hold out. 

Muniain finds Raul Garcia and the veteran striker drills over the bar

Dembele makes way as Braithwaite comes on for the final few minutes

Time running out for the Basque side now and Barcelona close to going second in the table, albeit ten points behind At. Madrid who have a game in hand. 

Lenglet on for Griezmann

Villalibre on for Williams and Lekue on for Capa (Athletic changes)

Athletic corner as the Basque side are set to make two more changes. 

Game nicely poised as we head into the final ten minutes of action. Barcelona sitting back and will look to ride this one out. Williams almost latches onto to a cross from Yuri.

Capa carded for Athletic.

Williams goes close but just unable to control the Raul Garcia delivery.

Barcelona woild move back to second in LaLiga with this scoreline

Less than 15' for the Basque side to respond. 

Berenguer goes close for Athletic as the substitute drives forward and unleashes a right footed effort which is into the Barça side netting

20' remain at Camp Nou with the scoreboard reading 1-1.

Barcelona appeal for a spot kick as Muniain collides into Dembele but Mateu Lahoz waves play on. 

Athletic switches: Vencedor off-Vesga on /  Berenguer on for De Marcos

Sergi Roberto on for Pjanic

Athletic switches: Vencedor off-Vesga on /  Berenguer on for De Marcos

First changes of the night posed to make an entrance

Dembele weaves into the box and wins his side a corner .... it's been a decent shift from the French winger tonight.

Over the hour mark now and a far more competitive game in this second half. Athletic were too deep and failed to respond to Barça pressure in the first 45'.  The Marcelino effect very much apparent.

Barcelona pressing now winning a series of corners as they look to regain a foothold in this game. 
Dembele crosses and the ball almost creeps inside the Athletic net.

Pjanic almost makes it 2 for FCB as Unai Simon dives well to repell. 

Sergi Roberto and Braithwaite warming up as Messi is hacked down by Dani Garcia.

Marcelino's half time team talk paying dividends as they look like a different side now as Williams has a speculative long range effort.

Athletic pressing now and win a corner with the goal boosting the Basque sides confidence. 

Alba carded for protests and it appears that the goal stands

VAR beinbg consulted

Great work from Raul Garcia who delivers the ball into the box as the FCB players appeal for a push by De Marcos. 

Gooooooooool. Athletic draw level as Alba fires the ball into his own net

Messi sprints free and finds Griezmann who is offside. 

De Jong carded for shirt pulling

No changes it would appear at the interval.

Munain to start the action for Athletic. 

Very discreet first 45' from Antoine Griezmann it has to be said. Messi on the other hand has been lively and certainly looking unphased about the El Mundo salary revelations. 

The sides begin to emerge from the tunnel with the Catalan side now second in LaLiga as things stand. 

It's Barcelona 1-0 head.

Great break from De Jong who finds Messi who feeds Dembele but the French striker blazes over. Excellent counter from the home side as the whistle sounds.

Possession now at 65-35 (%) in favour of FCB.

Still Messi's 20th minute goal the difference between both sides at Camp Nou. Barcelona good value for their lead and a grey performance so far tonight from Marcelino's men. 

Yeray carded for Athletic as the ball breaks forward and Unai Simon can gather

Umtiti seems to catch Vencedor who writhes on the ground and the whistle goes. 

Alba floats in a dangerous ball but the Barcelona right back commits a foul and Athletic canb regroup.  

At this stage of the game, just before the 40' minute mark, it's looking unlikely we'll see a repeat of the 2-3 scoreline from the last two times both sides met in LaLiga and then more recently in the Super Cup.

Athletic launch a rare break and De Marcos and Williams are just unable to thread a way through the azul-grana shirts. 

Raul Garcia carded for a trip on De Jong and will miss the next match for 'Los Leones'

Barcelona very, very comfortable here at Camp Nou with a second goal closer to arriving one feels rather than Athletic securing an equaliser. 

Williams and Dembele dispute a ball at Camp Nou tonight

Athletic playing with a different mentality now as they move further up the pitch but have yet to really trouble the Barcelona goal with just that Yuri effort to report for the San Mamés outfit.

Dani Garcia obstructs Messi and the men in azul-grana appeal for a card but the referee waves play on.

As we stand, Barcelona are second in the LaLiga Santander table ....

Ter Stegen finally called into acton stooping well to save from Yuri

This will force Athletic to amend their game plan at least and will be forced to adopt a more offensive approach as they now chase the game. 

Left foot....top corner... Yeray goes close to try and nod clear....

Dangerous free as Vencedor fouls Messi. Perfect distance for the left footed Argentine.... Unai Simon marshalling his defdeders. 

Both sides progressed in the Copa del Rey this midweek with Barcelona beating Rayo Vallecano (1-2). Athletic progressed against 2B side Alcoyano by the same scoreline.

Pedri poised to pull the trigger but Vencedor makes a vital interception to deny the Barcelona player. Barça keep knocking and Athletic still lapping up the pressure from the Catalan side.

Barça doiminant in possession with Ter Stegen a virtual spectator in this opening 15 minutes.

Barcelona go close again with Messi just chesting over (yes chesting)....

Athletic sitting deep and hoping to find Iñaki Williams with quick counters with the Basque striker one of the fastest in LaLiga.

Athletic have yet to progress into the FCB half with the men in azulgrana totally dominant at present with wave after wave of attacks. 

First corner of the night for Barça

Iñigo Martinez does well fo thwart Demebele as the ball breaks to Griezmann and the French striker drills over.

Fine stop from the Athletic stopper... we've seen the No. 10 bag so many of those chances in the past. Raul Garcia struggling after a collision but seems okay to carry on.

Messi breaks and the Argentine is deprived by Unai Simon 

Barcelona enjoying all the early possession with Athletic happy to sit and wait...

A windy but mild evening in the Catalan capital.... 16C - 63F at kick-off.

Dani Garcia clatters into Pjanic and the former Juve man wins the first free of the evening.

The whistle sounds with the home side getting us underway .....

A minute's silence will be staged pre game ....

Antonio Mateu Lahoz is tonight's match official. One of Spanish football's more colourful referees. 

2001 is the last time the Basque side secured a win here at Camp Nou with the Catalan capital a difficult ground traditionally for the Basque men.

All set at Camp Nou.... Barcelona in their classic navy/granate stripes, blue shorts and socks. Athletic in their iconic red and white stripes but white shorts/socks this evening. 

The head to head stats in Barcelona-Athletic battles this century

The Marcelino effect for the Basque side....

The Super Cup defeat to Athletic, the only blip on Barcelona's recent run of five

For those just tuning in, a reminder of tonight's teams ... big chance for Pjanic with no Sergio Busquets this evening....

Messi and FC Barcelona are both now apparently set to take legal action against Spanish daily El Mundo following Sunday's leaking of the Argentine's salary.

Athletic currently occupy 11th position but will hope that the Marcelino effect can propel the Basque side up the table.

Barcelona lie in fourth place and can move secopnd witgh a win

This is how the LaLiga table looks coming into tonight's game

The frustrating aspect of Atleti's dominance for Barcelona fans must be Luis Suarez's goal scoring with the Uruguayan forward begging a brace in Cádiz earlier. The striker has now scored 14 goals this season in LaLiga. 

A win is essential for FC Barcelona's remote title tilt after At. Madrid won yet again, digging deep to beat Cádiz CF earlier (2-4) at the Estadio Ramon de Carranza.

Here's how the action in Andalusia unfolded as Atleti stretched their lead at the summit.

Obviously the big story of the day overshadowing tonight's game is the El Mundo revelations surrounding Messi's 555 million euro deal with the Catalan outfit.

Read full story here: 

Koeman pre-game

"We had the chance to beat Athletic in both of our two previous meetings with them," Koeman stated.

"In the Super Cup, they won and we know that they are strong physically, especially from set-pieces. They perform to a high level and we'll need to be focused.

"In both of our last two games against them we created chances and we have to put them away.

Koeman selectes this XI:

....without further ado, let's bring you tonight's teams.... first up the visitors from Bilbao:

This will be the third meeting between both sides this month with Barça recording a 2-3 win at San Mames on January 6th. Athletic secured revenge with a 2021 Spanish Super Cup win in Seville eleven days later with Iñaki Williams rifling home the winner in another 3-2 contest. 

The action from the Catalan capital kicks-off at 21:00 CET.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage from Camp Nou as FC Barcelona face Athletic Club.